Ballast car



April 14, 1931. D. HINDAHL BALLAST CAR Filed Nov. 15, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 1 P 14, 1931- D. HINDAHL 1,800,832

BALLAST GAR Filed Nov. 15, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EDI/670%" Patented Apr.14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DAVID I-IINDAHL, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO RODGER BALLAST CAR COMP PANY, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE BALLAST CAR Application filed. November15, 1928. Serial No. 319,506.

This invention relates to dump cars and particularly to improvements inthe construction and arrangement of the hoppers, control doors andshedding surfaces therefor, whereby the discharge of material isdirected in a predetermined manner. The present invention is illustratedas embodied in a ballast car but it is to be understood that theinvention may be equally applicable to other forms or types of hoppercars.

An object of this invention is to provide a control door forthe hopperswhich is capable of closing to shut ofi theflow of the lading during thedischarge operation while thematerial is flowing out through thedischarge opening, whereby a portion only of a complete load may bedischarged and the remaining portion retained in the car.

Another objectof this invention is to provide an improved hopper carconstruction, which when embodied in a ballast car, is capable ofdischarging ballast material both inwardly and outwardly of the rails.without danger or liability of flooding the rails.

The present disclosure is given merely by way of example and is not tobe considered as limiting theinvention in any regard, but.

merely as one embodiment thereof, and the scope of the invention will bedeterminable from an understanding of the present disclosure as anembodiment thereof. and with a recognition of the advantages which theinvention produces in the illustrated embodiment.

Further and other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevational view incrosssection of one-half of a dump car constructed in accordance withthe present invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse cross sectional view of the car shown in Figure1.

The present invention is shown as embodied in a car having the usualunderframe, comprising a center sill and cross sills, and having betweenthe trucks on each side of the center sill a longitudinally extendinghop per. Each hopper is provided with opposite ly inclined floor orshedding surfaces spaced at their lower ends to provide a dischargeopening with a pivoted door, adapted to swing to either side of itscenter closed position so that the material may be unloaded to the outerside of the rail when the doors are swung open in one directlon, orunloaded between the rails when the doors are swung open in the otherdirection.

Referring now to the figures of the drawings, it will be noted that thecar .1 is provided with side walls 2 and a sloping end wall or ofcylindrical-sectoral shape. The doors are provided at their verticeswith a shaft 9 which is pivoted at 10 and 11 in suitable bearings sothat by rotation of the shaft, the doors are swung around the center ofthe shaft a pivot. Each door comprises the upper arcuate surface 12 andradial surfaces. 13 and 14. The door is of such size and shape that thesurface 12 completely closes the discharge opening 7 when the door is inits central position, as shown at the lefthand hopper of Figure 2, butis capable of being swung to either side of the central closed positionwhereby a free discharge opening is provided forthe material from thehopper.

Each shaft 9 is provided with a worm gear 15, which is in mesh with theworm 16, carried by theshaft 17. The shaft 17 is mounted in suitablebrackets 18and19, and has provided at its outer end a manually operablelever 20. The lever is capable of being connected for turning the shaft,whereby at the will of the operator a rotary movement may beiinparted tothe door shaft 9 for opening 34 or closing the doors. Positioned belowthe shaft 9 and tapering in opposite direction therefrom, are mountedthe independent shedding surfaces 21 and 22. The construction is sodesigned that when the doors are moved inwardly from the closed positionthe mate"- 1 rial which is permitted-to, flow through the dischargeopening by such opening of the door, first flows upon the radial surfaceit of the door by which it is guided on to the inde pendent and lowershedding surface 21,

whereby the discharge material is directed outside of the rails on whichthe car runs. Conversely, when the doors are moved outwardly fromtheclosed position, the shedding surface 13' of the door deflects thematerial on to the independent shedding surface 22 whereby" it isdischarged inwardly of the rails. The independent shedding surfaces 21and 22 for all of the hoppers are preferablyfixedly mounted and ofsuchlengththat lower ends lie substantially in lines A and B, as showninFigure 2 of the drawing. These lines represent the position-of a pileofballast or other material of known characteristics, as it willlie asdeposited or discharged under the influence of gravity from the shed:

ding surfaces 21 or 22, attention being directed to the fact that thelines are limited by portions of the rails upon which the/car "ismounted below-the tops of the rails, and are disposed at theangle ofrepose of the particular lading for which the car is designed;

In some instances it may be preferable to adjustablynnount the sheddingsurfaces 21 and 22, but for any particular adjustment the surfaces arerigid with relation to the car body. Accordingly, it will beappreciated' that the surfaces 2l and 22-have a predetermined and finaldirecting influence'on V. the discharge material from the hoppers, and

it will be further realized that the door, in respective ofthedirectionof opening, presents shedding surfaces which bridge thespace between the end of theghopper'shedding surfaces and theindependent sheddingsuri the closing operation;

faces, such that a substantially continuousshe'dding surface is providedfor deflecting the material either inwardly'or outwardly .of the railsas desired;

Another important factor is that the door.

having its surface 12 for closing" the dis charge opening pivots aroundthe shaft'9,

which causes the surface 12 to traverse the path of flower materialsubstantially trans-' versely therethrough. This renders it pos- ;sibleto intercept the flowof material during discharge and tocompletely stoporrshut offthe discharge of a particular hopper before it iscompletelyemptied." This, of course, is attributable to the fact thatthe forcenecess ary to closetliedoor does not have to lift a portion atleast of the weight of the 'downward flowing material, nor to oppose bya counter movement the inertia of the moving mass in discharge. Thecutoff action being substantially transverse to the flow in all portions.of its closing movement, avoids the opposition of'the forces whichwouldhinder appended claims.

From the above description it will beappreciated'that the presentinvention accomplishes the above stated objects, together with otherobjects apparent from an understanding of the disclosure.

The present disclosure is given merely by way of illustration andis nottobe considered as limiting-the invention, the scope of the inventionbeing clearly set forth in the Iclaim: V

1. In a car of the character described, having a center sill, alongitudinally disposed hopper on one-side of said center sill, saidhopper having oppositely inclined shedding surfaces spaced at theirlowerjendsrtoapro'vide a discharge opening, an independent sheddingsurface below and spaced from said hopper shedding surface, said;independent sheddingsurface being of such length that its lower edgewill lie ina line limited byfportions of the rails upon which theacar ismounted below'thetop of said rails, fwhich lines are disposed inthe-angle of reposeiof the lading for-which asaid car is designed;

and a door for -said discharge opening for controllingv the passage of Ilading' therethrough, said door providing iniitsopen and intermediatepositions ashedding surfaceffor directing the discharge ladingfrom-saidhop per onto said independent sheddin'gsurface.

2. In a car of'the characterdescribed, having a center sill,substantially v sh aped thdppers'on each side ofthe-centersill havingdischarge openingsat their bottoms, a pair of independentlymounted'sheddin'g surfaces located below and spaced from each hopper,the surface of each pair being adapted to direct the discharge ofmaterial in'opposite Hi rection, each of the shedding surfaces-of saidpairs of independent shedding surfaces being of such length that theirlower endslie substantially in line's limited by portions of therailsupon which the car is mounted below-the tops of the rails, which linesare dis posedatthe angle of repose of the lading "for which thecar isdesigned, anddoors for controlling the discharge of material froin'saidhoppers having portions serving as shedding surfaces in the open and"intermediate posi tions of said doors for directing" the j diS- chargeof lading' onto the said independent shedding surfaces, each door beingadapted: to open in I either direction from the center closing positionwhereby the lading from" each hopper may be discharged at wilLjeitherinwardly oroutwardly of the rails.

3.. A car of the class described, havinga center sill, a longitudinalV-shaped' hopper on each side of said center sill, said hoppers havingdischarge openings "in their ibottoms, a stationary deflector ofinverted V-shape disposed below each hopper, the shedding surfaces ofwhich deflectors areso disposed as to discharge 'ladingeither' betweenthe rails or outside of the rails at lines in the angle of repose ofsuch lading, and swinging doors controlling the discharge of ladin fromthe hoppers, said doors being pivotefi on an axis below the ho pelts andadapted to swing toward either si e of the hoppers to discharge thelading.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 7th day of November, 1928.

DAVID HINDAHL.

